Philip Hammond, the Defence Secretary, has been accused of “control freakery”
by trying to ban MPs from military bases and meetings with the Armed Forces.

Members of the House of Commons Defence Committee say they have been prevented from visiting defence facilities and denied information about the Forces under a “clampdown” ordered by ministers.

James Arbuthnot, the Conservative chairman of the committee, said he feared Mr Hammond’s attempts to choke off information about defence will ultimately be harmful, undermining public support for the Armed Forces.

To ensure proper scrutiny of the Government, MPs on the defence committee are often given access to senior members of the Armed Forces and briefed about sensitive details of defence policy.

Mr Arbuthnot said that on Mr Hammond’s orders, the information made available to Parliament about defence has been seriously restricted.

It is understood that in recent weeks at least one member of the committee has been prevented from visiting a military base on a fact-finding mission because of restrictions put in place by the Ministry of Defence.

The MP was told by the MoD that he could not visit the base in question because he did not have the permission of the MP whose constituency covers the base.

Mr Arbuthnot said the restriction on visits was a misuse of parliamentary protocol by the MoD.

He has complained to Jon Thompson, the senior civil servant at the MoD, about the situation.

Mr Arbuthnot told the Daily Telegraph that Mr Hammond has moved to deny Parliament information about defence.

“There does seem to have been a serious clampdown on legitimate contact between members of the Armed Forces and civil servants and members of Parliament,” he said.

“The military being able to talk to parliamentarians strikes me as perfectly normal and healthy. This is control freakery gone too far.”

The restrictions could have harmful long-term consequences, he said: “It is important that Parliament and the media have access to information about defence. It informs public understanding of the Armed Forces and helps maintain support for the Armed Forces.”

The MoD insisted that no new rules or clampdown have been introduced.

A spokesman said: "There is absolutely no question of the MOD forbidding MPs from speaking to its personnel or visiting its facilities or operational theatres, however it is right and proper that there is process to go through that includes ministerial oversight of these visits.

"Dozens of MPs visit MoD bases every month, but it is incorrect to think constituency MPs have to give permission. Parliamentary convention requires that MPs are informed if a fellow MP visits their constituency.”

An MoD source said: “After 25 years in the House of Commons, the Chairman of the Defence Select Committee should know more than anyone that out of courtesy, MPs are told when another Member is in their area. The idea that there is some kind of ban is ridiculous.”